[ social justice ]

Abraham: Our union is committed to social justice work

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YSUT’s Social Justice Academy is grounded in the statwide union’s values of social justice being at the heart of unionism — and NYSUT has no plans on changing course.

“In the current climate we are seeing more and more laws being passed that restrict people’s freedoms and rights … rights that were hard earned,” said NYSUT Secretary-Treasurer J. Philippe Abraham, whose office coordinates the union’s social justice agenda. “We are committed to doing this work.”

Local unions that commit to the Social Justice Academy come together over two sessions to engage in conversation, community building and reflection that shifts power and promotes social and racial justice within our schools, locals and communities. At the 2025 summer session, members from 10 locals discussed racial justice, human rights, access, participation and equity.

A graphic illustration of a large, black and white textured SJA logo with a white dotted border around the letters. The letters are on a brown and black woven tapestry with orange and green stripes. Below the logo are 11 different illustrated people of various ethnicities. A man with a graying beard and long hair tied back is talking to a woman with gray hair styled with some dark roots showing. They are both leaning on a brown desk. The man is wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with a red stripe on the collar. The woman is wearing a dark blue top with puffy sleeves. A name badge is clipped to her top. The background is a large room with various office tables and chairs.
A group of eight diverse individuals stand outside in front of a brick building. The ground is covered with weeds and grass. All of them are holding gardening tools like rakes, hoes, and spades and are wearing work gloves. They are smiling at the camera, posing for a group picture.
photos: El-Wise Noisette
Clockwise from top: NYSUT Secretary-Treasurer J. Philippe Abraham and Eve Shippens, Buffalo Teachers Federation; SJA participants volunteer landscaping at Capital District Latinos; participants and facilitators at the 2025 Social Justice Academy. This year, NYSUT opened the program to 10 local unions.

For Taneka Jackson, executive council member for the Faculty Federation of Erie Community College, the SJA offered the personal and professional motivation she needed to not feel stuck. “I feel very rejuvenated … honored and privileged to be here,” Jackson said. “We cannot afford to take a break from social justice work. Working at a college with young students, particularly a lot of high school students, when they ask, ‘During all this turmoil, what did you do?’ I want to be able to give them a list of things,” Jackson said.

One of those things is to be of service to the community. Each year the SJA features a hands-on service component. This year, participants spent a day working at Capital District Latinos, a nonprofit organization that provides cultural, educational and health-related services. NYSUT members restocked shelves in the food pantry, and helped with landscaping and painting.

Sandi Rosenzweig-Cooper, a member of the Great Neck Teachers Association is motivated to use her experience at the SJA to reinforce the anti-hate work she already started in her district, which includes teaching kids about the Holocaust at an age-appropriate level.

Rosenzweig-Cooper sees empowering students as part of her responsibility. “We have a power, the power to make a choice,” she said. “Do I walk past the bully and let him do what he’s doing or do I say, ‘hey something is wrong.’” The work of the Social Justice Academy is crucial “for bringing people together who really want the bottom line to be our future, our children,” she said.

For more info on the Social Justice Academy and the union’s work, visit nysut.org/socialjustice.

A large group of approximately 40 people are sitting and standing in front of a brick building with the letters NYSUT and the number 2002 visible on the wall. The group is casually dressed and smiling. Some are sitting on a ledge, while others are standing behind them or sitting on the ground in front.
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